The bridge over Hwy 24, just east of Blackjack Road is on KDOT’s radar for replacement, beginning March 16. (Brandon Peoples/KMAN)
Some residents in the St. George area will have to find new access points to Hwy 24 as a bridge replacement project begins next week near the intersection of Blackjack Road..
The Kansas Department of Transportation plans to start the replacement project March 16.
Traffic south of the highway along Blackjack will not be able to access the highway. Traffic along the highway also won’t have access to Blackjack Road. Pottawatomie County Commissioner Dee McKee says the project is going to cause significant traffic headaches.
“I don’t know why they’re closing Blackjack. That I never envisioned, because it’s a continuing alternative route, if there’s an accident or anything else. You can take Blackjack all the way to School Creek Road and go across, even though School Creek is a dirt road,” she said.
Franklin Drive, located just east of the intersection also will be closed, along with median crossovers at Blue Run Road, Blackjack Creek Street and Deer Haven. Motorists will have access to Hwy 24 via Flush Road. Commissioner Pat Weixelman says too much traffic along School Creek Road may be problematic with wet weather.
“If you get any rain like we did two years ago, School Creek is nothing but a swamp. You get that beaten up with traffic and hell we pulled a dump truck out of there, we had two blades stuck up there and everything else,” he said.
A KDOT official tells KMAN the project is expected to last 185 working days and weather dependent may not be wrapped up until at least Christmas. The project is in addition to other work planned along Hwy 24 between St. George and Manhattan that will hinder traffic through the rest of the year.
KDOT will release more details on the bridge replacement project this week.
